This is a key finding in a case study on Mongolia, that ratified the treaty in 2015, one of three countries featured in the report where ratification is complete or advanced (the others are India, that ratified in 2014, and Thailand that has introduced national legislation).

The report explains the main provisions and expected benefits of the treaty, and is designed to help government, community and development partners to understand the importance of the treaty, and to facilitate policy dialogue.

The report also contains a glossary of terms, a model statute for implementation of the treaty, and an appendix that sets out provisions in human rights treaties, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, that rely on the right to knowledge or information.

“This report offers a clear rationale and practical legal guidance to realize the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’, a key feature of the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” said Nadia Rasheed, Team Leader, HIV, Health and Development, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub. “Ratifying and implementing the Marrakesh Treaty are about realizing the fundamental rights of one of the most marginalized populations, reducing poverty, and eliminating exclusion to achieve inclusive development, which underpins UNDP’ s core development vision.”

"EIFL is strongly committed to speedy ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty that creates an opportunity for libraries to vastly improve services to people with print disabilities, thereby improving lives and increasing life-chances," said Rima Kupryte, EIFL Director. "EIFL welcomes the UNDP report that provides authoritative guidance on the key features of the treaty, and practical advice on implementation into national law for countries in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond."

Libraries are essential to the success of the treaty because libraries in every country have a long history serving people with print disabilities, and are one of the primary sources of accessible reading material for education, work and leisure purposes. In addition, only blind people's organizations, libraries and other so-called 'authorized entities' can send accessible format copies to other countries.